Nicholas Atkin was Professor of History and Head of theSchool of Humanities at the University of Reading and the author oreditor of several books on European issues. At the time of hisdeath in 2009, he had just published Themes in Modern EuropeanHistory, 1890-1945, co-edited with Michael Biddiss. Michael Biddiss is Emeritus Professor of History at theUniversity of Reading, and a former President of the HistoricalAssociation. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of numerousbooks and articles on modern Europe. Frank Tallett is Head of the School of Humanities at theUniversity of Reading, and Co-Director of its Centre for theAdvanced Study of French History. A Fellow of the Royal HistoricalSociety, he is also the author or co-author of several books,including Priests, Prelates and People: A History of EuropeanCatholicism from 1750 to the Present (2003).